Publication Abstract

Abstract: On request of the European Commission a descriptive study was performed in order to demonstrate the evolution and the performance of different pilot-projects, some of those started their activities in the framework of the Europe against Cancer programme already in 1989. A survey "Present status of breast cancer screening within the European Community; summarising implementation of quality assurance" [1] was sent out to 16 projects in 10 countries, those that are members of the "European Breast Cancer Network, EBCN" and of the EC. The results presented in this survey show some similarities and some differences in implementing screening activities. For all projects the "European Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Mammography Screening" [10] have been pivotal in improving quality activities. This report demonstrates that it is possible to set-up screening programmes within various types of health care systems, when quality assurance criteria's of the EC Guidelines are respected. It's fundamental that the EC continues to allocate a financial support for the execution of comparative evaluation in the Member States of the EC. Such efforts might help to demonstrate that a reduction of mortality due to breast cancer has been achieved, not only in the Nordic countries, but also in other European Member States